Survival of the Fastest
by Android-J
Summary: After many travels throughout the wasteland, can the Lone Wanderer survive in a new place alongside his new friend, a twin tailed savage fox who has a nack for getting into trouble?


Disclaimer; I do not own Sonic the Hedgehog, or Fallout.

Sonic ran as fast as his feet could carry him. A dark brown cloak hanging from his neck as he kicked up a large dust cloud behind him. Little did he know, the massive gun barrel resting from under a camouflaged blanket was pointed at him. Its holder watching him through his scope. The blue hedgehog carried a messenger back around his shoulder, and the heavy cloak being pulled behind him was roughly patched, and very dirty. On his wrist he wore a large, heavy looking computer.

Sonic stopped when he finally came to the edge of the ruins. He gazed up at the massive, old ruins that were once buildings in a forgotten time. The crosshairs were still watching him. However, they slowly moved to the right, watching an unseen movement from behind him. Through the dust cloud, the sniper could see it.

Sonic jumped around in surprise, looking for wherever the shot had come from. But what immediately got his attention was the clanking machine that fell to the ground behind him. A large bullet hole was in its head as it hit the ground, oil slowly leaking from its damage. Suddenly, a massive scorpion jumped from the sand, its claws and tail flailing.

The blue hedgehog ran from it, toward the open ground in an attempt to lose it. Two more shots rang out, and he saw the flash in the corner of his eye, and figured if the sniper wasn't at least hostile, he probably had better equipment than he did to deal with it, and turned to approach him.

Suddenly, what happened then took him by surprise. The sniper stood up, the blanket being slung aside, revealing the savage, twin tailed fox underneath. He held up a spear and screamed a wild war cry as he abandoned his nest and charged the scorpion.

Sonic turned around while he watched the fox scream like a wild animal as he jumped on it, and began stabbing savagely. He dug his spear in, deep, and held on to it as he stepped aside to dodge the creature's poisonous tail. He pulled it out once more, and stabbed it into one of its upper eyes. He forced the pole around, slicing the soft insides to bits. When the monster finally fell to the ground, dead, the fox pulled the spear free, and jumped off. He looked to the skies, and let out a savage roar.

Sonic noticed the fox, while he was obviously young, was among the cleanest savages he'd met in the wastes. He was dressed only from the waste down in red pants, and sandals. A brown sash was tied around his waist and the end dangled down to his right knee. His torso and arms' fur was marked with scars, from both cuts and bullet holes. His face bore only one, down across his eye and into his lips. He had also smudged his fur with mud for more camouflage with the wastes they stood in, though his dark red pants made him stand out up close.

"Hey, uh…" Sonic hesitated as he approached him, "thanks."

"Blue hog run fast." the fox spoke, turning suddenly, pointing his spear at him.

"Yeah, lots of practice, I guess." he took one step too close.

"Hey!" the twin tailed fox jumped back, holding his spear at the ready as he glared at him. "Blue strange. No steal from Tails."

"Steal? No, I just wanted to greet you." He held his hand up to shake, and smiled. He found himself looking at him for a long time, his eyes moving back and forth to his hand, then to him.

"Tails no trust."

Suddenly, Tails realized he'd been paying attention too much to the hog. When he heard the hiss, it was already too late. He saw Sonic move, but the rest was a blue blur. Suddenly, he found himself on the ground, his spear still in one hand. He looked up and saw Sonic still fighting the giant albino scorpion.

Sonic slammed a hard kick to its face, and pushed away just in time to dodge one of its massive claws. Tails stood and howled as he charged, holding his spear up front. Tails jumped as he spun his tails to lift him higher in the air. When he was just over it, he turned and pushed himself down, spear head first. When he slammed into the monster, he knocked it off balance just enough to force its stinger forward. He heard a gasp, and the scorpion fell limp. He'd hit his mark as he pulled his spear from between its plated armor. Its heart.

"Blue hog no fight good." he said as he turned around to look at him. Just then, Sonic collapsed, holding his bleeding side. He watched him black out as he realized what had happened.

Sonic slowly opened his eyes, his head throbbing as he sat up. He looked around and realized he was in a cave. It was massive, and dug out. Several braces along the walls and ceiling were holding it all up. He was lying on an old cot, and a thick, rather clean blanket was over him. He could hear the crackle of a fire nearby.

As he looked around he saw several shelves, filled with dozens of strange contraptions and machines he'd never seen before. In the center of the cave was a table with various tools and containers on it. Across the room, he could see a ladder on the wall leading to another hole in the wall roughly another story up. In the corner he could see a makeshift fireplace with a large metal pipe leading from it to the top of the cave and vanishing into the ceiling. Inside it was a roaring fire.

Just then, he saw the twin tailed fox toss a fresh log into the fire. He noticed he was now wearing his cloak, and set his messenger bag on the floor as he let the fire brighten the room some more. Sonic quietly watched as he sat down and opened it. He could see the curiosity in the fox's eyes as he began to reach in.

He pulled out a bobblehead and watched it wobble for a moment before setting it aside. He then pulled out his baseball glove and tried to slip it on. When he couldn't manage, he tossed it over his shoulder. Next he pulled out his baseball and examined it in his hand for a moment. He licked it curiously, and then tried to bite it. He gagged and tossed it aside as well.

Sonic smiled as he watched. Just then, he realized just how isolated the fox really was from society. He pulled out his bag of bottle caps, the capital currency in the wasteland. The fox opened it and looked at them for a moment, sifting through them for anything else. He shrugged and tossed it as well, ignoring the noise they made as the hundreds of caps scattered. He lifted the bag from the bottom, looking for anything else to fall out.

Sonic gasped when he saw a hand grenade fall from the bag. Tails's head leaned to the left as he picked up the strange thing. He held it in both hands, and slipped his finger into the ring. He pulled it out and looked at them both.

Sonic tried to get up and moved as fast as he could to save him. Just as he reached out for it, it went off. There was a little snap, followed by a little puff of smoke from the hole in the top of the dud.

"Phew." he sighed heavily. Suddenly, he realized he probably should've stepped away as he felt the tip of the fox's spear on his throat.

"Blue hog sneak up on Tails?" he asked. Sonic held up his hands.

"No, I was just trying to save you from my explosive there." he pointed at the dud grenade that was now lying on the ground by his foot. The fox glared suspiciously at him. "I'm Sonic by the way." he slowly offered his hand to shake.

"You Sonic Hedgehog?"

"Well, I'm Sonic THE hedgehog. My last name's actually-"

"You Lone Wonder! Tails hear all you. You hero!" Tails's demeanor suddenly changed from suspicious hostility to curious optimism. "You like hero from storybook!"

"What storybook?" he asked.

"Wait." the fox happily turned and trotted to the ladder, leaving his spear leaning against it. He climbed it, and vanished into the dark hole for a few moments. He could hear him moving things around before reappearing again, this time holding an old book in one hand as he climbed back down. He opened it and shuffled through the pages as he stepped closer.

"Here. Story Knights of Round Table." He showed him the picture of several men in strange armor sitting at a large round table. "Sonic like Knight."

"Well, I don't know about that…" Sonic shrugged. Tails turned the book back to himself and held it very close to his face. Sonic watched as he nearly rubbed it against his face as he read.

"Sonic save helpless from monsters. Help place. No payment in return. Sonic Knight." he said smiling as he looked back at him. Sonic stared silent for a moment. He slowly raised his left hand. Tails didn't react. He slowly waved, and again, Tails didn't seem to notice.

"Do you wear glasses?" he asked.

"Tails used to have glass for eyes, but broke. No can read or work on inventions."

"Hold on." he told him and stepped over to his messenger bag. He searched it and found a secret pocket which he kept only two things. One was his father's reading glasses. They were very thick, but clean and fairly durable. He dropped his bag and approached Tails, who was still watching him. "Try these."

Tails slowly saw his vision clear for the first time in a long time as he felt Sonic slip the glasses onto his face. Before he could only see things from a distance. He gasped as he finally saw his tools and equipment again without having to squint. He even opened his book again, and saw that he could read it again without having to hold it next to his eye.

"Sonic help Tails see! Sonic Knight hero!" he said excitedly, smiling at him.

Sonic shrugged again. Tails seemed to have changed since they first met. He wasn't honestly surprised. The wasteland did that to people. At least Tails had bothered to stitch him up. The last time a tribal had taken him in, it was only to sacrifice him to some deity named 'Paris Hilton'.

"Tails show you invention." he said, getting his attention. "Tails work long time on." he said walking toward the middle table. Sonic followed, and stood beside him at the table as he opened a toolbox. Rather than a bunch of tools, he saw a small, strange device. "Tails read in book, small first better for final plan."

"What is it?" Sonic asked as he set the small thing on the table.

"Tails read it in book. Called 'Airplane'. Tails name Tornado." He wined up the propeller and set it on the table. Suddenly, it began to spin on its own, and took off across the table. It crashed into the wall, and burst into flames as it crashed to the ground. "Oh no!" Tails ran to it and began to try stomping it out.

"What just happened?" Sonic asked, watching as Tails finally picked up the burnt thing.

"Tails read in book that airplane fly with gas. Tails buy and soak in gas, but no make fly. Only burn."

"Uh, I don't think it meant you should soak it in gas, maybe put it in it?"

"But nowhere to put gas in! Tails read book again." he set it down on the table, and stepped back toward the ladder.

"Hey, wait a minute Tails," Sonic called after him. He stopped and turned to face him. "Is there a town around here? I was looking for some supplies earlier." He suddenly saw a nervous look come to him.

"Uh, Sonic no need go town. Stay with Tails. Help with Tornado. Read story books!" he said, his voice shaking a bit. Sonic could tell he was worried as he spoke. Almost fearful.

"Why? Is something wrong with it?" he asked softly. Tails hesitated.

"Uh, yes. Town broken. No good for visit."

Sonic stared quietly at him. Tails sighed, and looked down, his shoulders slouching. "Sonic want to leave Tails?"

"No! Nothing like that, I just er…" he stopped to think, "I was just hoping to get some food and supplies. I could buy some stuff for your, air…thing."

"But what buy with? Sonic no have trade."

"How about you follow me there, and I show you a few tricks I've learned." he grinned. Tails looked back at him curiously.


End file.
